Education & Community Engagement
Ballet Glossary
Pas [pah] – In French this means “step.” This can mean either a simple or compound movement which involves a transfer of weight.
Pas couru [pah koo-REW] – This is a “running step.” These three to five simple steps are designed for dancers to do this step in preparation for a large jump across the floor.
Pas de bourrée [pah duh boo-RAY]
This
translates to “bourré step,” referring to an old folk dance
called the bourrée. The term can refer to one of two steps;
either it is a movement used as a connecting step where the
dancer take three steps shifting weight by crossing behind,
stepping side, and stepping front, or it’s a traveling step
where the dancer takes many small rapid steps to make it
appear as if she is gliding across the floor.
Pas de chat [pah duh shah]
This is French for
“step of the cat.” This is a leap, resembling the motion of
a cat, in which the dancer bends one leg up underneath
himself/herself with the knee turned out to the side,
followed quickly by the other leg in the same motion,
lifting the dancer in the air until he/she lands into fifth
position with the first leg that had been lifted, followed
by the other. The feet switch front to back during the
dancer’s time in the air.
Pas de deux [pah duh duh]
This is French for
“step for two.” The term refers to a dance for two people,
usually a man and a woman. Similarly, a pas de trois is a
dance for three people, and a pas de quatre for four.
Penché [pahn-SHAY]
This is French for “tilted.”
This movement involves a tilting of the body to achieve an
extreme position. For instance, when the dancer is in an
arabesque at 90 degrees, she then pushes her working leg
upward and over, while pushing the body down towards the
supporting leg to achieve a much greater angle between the
legs, often resulting in a 180-degree split.
Petit, petite [pug-TEE, pug-TEET] – This French word means “little” or “small.”
Piqué [pee-KAY]
This is French for “pricked,”
referring to the sharpness of this movement. This movement
can either be a quick tap of the toes on the floor with an
outstretched leg, or a step onto a straight leg where the
dancer’s weight is transferred.
Pirouette [peer-WET]
This is French for “whirl”
or “spin.” The term refers to a full turn or spin on one
leg, as well as being the generic name for all types of
turning steps in ballet.
Plié [plee-AY]
This is French for “bent.” The
movement is a knee bend done with the legs turned out and is
normally the first exercise in a ballet class. Demi-plié
[“half-bend”] is a shallow bend. Grand plié [“big bend”] is
a deep bend, down to where the thighs are almost horizontal.
In all positions except second, the heels release from the
floor in a grand plié.
Préparation [pray-pay-ra-SYAWN]
This French term means “preparation.” A dancer does this movement when preparing for a step or turn. Teachers and Choreographers also say this term to get dancers to their spots before a combination begins.
Promenade [prawm-NAHD]
This is French for
“walk,” referring to the way in which the heel helps the
dancer turn around himself/herself while staying in one spot
on the floor and holds a position. The full turn is
accomplished with many small movements of the heel in one
direction. This movement can also be done by a ballerina en
pointe; she holds a pose while her partner turns her
around.